Returning Aspen film festival celebrates Indigenous voices, perspective

The 7th Annual Shining Mountains Film Festival returns to the Wheeler Opera House with a lineup of films and performances celebrating the voices, stories, and cultures of Indigenous Peoples across North America.

The festival is presented by the Aspen Indigenous Foundation, in partnership with the city of Aspen. It will take place Oct. 17 to 18.

“Through a carefully curated selection of seven films — including two feature-length works and five compelling shorts — the festival shines a light on the unspoken history of our nation, the resilience of Native communities, and the beauty, diversity, and wisdom of the first inhabitants of this land,” a press release states.

The Shining Mountains Film Festival was founded in 2018 with the aim of providing a platform for American Indian voices and offering audiences the chance to engage with Indigenous stories “that are often unheard in our region,” according to the press release.

Featured works will include a new film by award-winning local environmental photographer Pete McBride, titled “Monumental Moment.” The film bridges environmental storytelling with Indigenous perspectives by following a Havasupai mother-daughter duo — Maya Tilousi-Lyttle and Carletta Tilousi — and their journey to protest uranium mining next to the Grand Canyon and establish a new national monument.

“People can make a difference in today’s world,” McBride said. “If a mother and daughter from a Native American village can help create a national monument … I think it’s testament to what we all can do.”

He said that an aim of his film is to help people realize how important Native voices are and learn reverence for the natural landscape. The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival, where Maya and Carletta received a 10-minute standing ovation.

“It’s been a real privilege for me to tell their story,” McBride said. “They’re great teachers of humility, something we all need a little more of in today’s world.”

This year’s festival will present three programs: one at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17; one at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18; and one at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18. More information about each day and tickets can be found at wheeleroperahouse.com/calendar.

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Each program includes live Q&A sessions with Indigenous actors, producers, and directors, an intimate chance to hear directly from the creators behind these stories.

The festival will also feature a special on-stage performance by Eric Hernandez, World Champion hoop dancer and acclaimed Cirque du Soleil artist whose artistry celebrates Native heritage through movement and rhythm, and two talented Native American artist vendors: a Hopi silversmith and a Lakota ledger artist, each showcasing handcrafted pieces reflecting their cultural heritage and artistic traditions.

“The films highlight the resilience and vibrancy of Native cultures across North America, reminding us that the first inhabitants of this land continue to thrive in contemporary society,” the press release states. “In a valley where these stories are too often overlooked — and in a city once known as Ute City — the Shining Mountains Film Festival is not only entertainment, it is an invitation to bear witness, to learn, and to honor Indigenous voices that have long shaped this land.”

McBride echoed this sentiment, saying, “Aspen used to be called Ute city for the Ute tribe. All of this was Native land at one point. It’s good to be reminded of that. They have deep knowledge that we can learn from.”